22 Container Gardens in Bloom

Richard Felber
1 of 22 Ngoc Minh Ngo

To grow vegetables in containers, look for varieties with words like bush, baby, dwarf, tiny, midget, and patio in their names. They are bred to be compact.


Advertisement
2 of 22 Richard Felber

Before heading to the nursery, study the area you’ve picked for your container garden―is it sunny? shady?―and then find plants that will flourish in those conditions.


3 of 22 Ngoc Minh Ngo

Terra-cotta pots are ideal for container plants because their porous walls let air and water move easily through, so roots grow healthily.


Advertisement
4 of 22 Ngoc Minh Ngo

An assortment of herbs can be planted in one pot, so long as their care requirements are compatible.


Advertisement
5 of 22 Aimee Herring

Potted plants flanking an entry door are warm and welcoming.


Advertisement
6 of 22 Richard Felber

Place a large pot in the center of a display, accented with smaller pots for balance.


Advertisement
7 of 22 Richard Felber

Create a “centerpiece” for your porch by grouping varieties of the same species planted in similar pots.


Advertisement
8 of 22 Richard Felber

Matching pots planted with ornamental grass lend drama to a driveway or path.


Advertisement
9 of 22 Richard Felber

Use potted plants to define an outdoor space: Here, they separate patio from lawn.


Advertisement
10 of 22 Mark Lund

Ceramic pots are porous, allowing roots to breathe, and a glazed finish helps conserve moisture.


Advertisement
11 of 22 Richard Felber

Mounted plants cheer up a bare wall. Hang an even number for a formal look, an odd number for a more relaxed feel.


Advertisement
12 of 22 Richard Felber

For an especially easy hanging garden, try mini petunias: They never need deadheading, and they thrive in sun or a mix of sun and shade.


Advertisement
13 of 22 Beatriz Da Costa

An old birdbath makes a perfect new home for shallow-rooted succulents.


Advertisement
14 of 22 Minh & Wass

Create an oasis in your yard by arranging potted plants into a sheltering screen.


Advertisement
15 of 22 Mark Lund

When potting ivy, make sure the containers have enough depth to allow for proper drainage.


Advertisement
16 of 22 Ellen Silverman

During the winter, you can force bulbs to bloom indoors (like the Christmas Pearl grape hyacinths shown here), then replant outside come spring.


Advertisement
17 of 22 Ellen Silverman

Pungently fragrant paperwhite narcissus are easy to coax into bloom indoors. Use tall containers with no drainage holes.


Advertisement
18 of 22 Lisa Hubbard

A terrarium―which lets greens live in a self-sufficient environment―is a no-fuss way to garden.


Advertisement
19 of 22 Lisa Hubbard

A humidity-loving tropical houseplant, such as a maidenhair fern or a flame violet, will thrive in a bell-jar terrarium.


Advertisement
20 of 22 Ellen Silverman

Planted in a ceramic pitcher (drilled to add drainage holes), purple shamrock makes the tiniest indoor container garden.


Advertisement
21 of 22 Wendell T. Webber

A tangle of roots exposed in a glass cylinder can be just as eye-catching as the leaves above.


Advertisement
22 of 22 Ngoc Minh Ngo

Always empty saucers after you water plants: Letting pots sit in water can damage roots.


You May Like

Read More

Subscribe Today

And get a Jet.com cash bonus up to $20!

Real Simple Newsletters

Get tips, inspiration and special offers delivered to your inbox.